Petition Background (Preamble):

A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE CENSURE OF LINDSEY GRAHAM THE UNITED STATES SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA BY THE CITIZENS OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

Petition:

A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE CENSURE OF LINDSEY GRAHAM THE UNITED STATES SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA BY THE CITIZENS OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

Whereas, it is the responsibility and right of the Citizens of South Carolina, and of all Citizens, to speak in support of, and to act in the defense of, the long - established and fundamental principles of the Republican party as contained in the South Carolina Republican Party Platform; and

Whereas, when any official elected to any position as a Republican repeatedly acts in contravention of these principles, it is the duty of all South Carolina Republicans, including this body, to protect and defend
these principles by stating publicly its disapproval of that official’s actions, especially where the matters involved are fundamental and not open to reasonable dispute among those who are in good faith general agreement with the fundamental principles of the party platform; and

Whereas, when any official continues to engage repeatedly in a course of conduct that violates fundamental principles of the South Carolina Republican Platform, even after such actions have been publicly called to his attention, it is the responsibility of all Republicans, including this body, to take such remedial measures as are reasonably available to them, always placing the interests of the People and our Principles ahead of any Party or Personal interests that may appear to be in temporary conflict with those interests; and

Whereas, while entrusted with the office of Senator by the voters of South Carolina, Lindsey Graham has committed a long series of actions that we strongly disapprove of and hold to be fundamentally inconsistent with the principles of the South Carolina Republican Party, among which are the following:

1. Voted to Confirm Obama’s appointment to Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection: In July of 2013, Senator Graham voted with the Democrats to confirm Richard Cordray, a noted leftist promoter of aggressive economic regulation, as head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, while Senator Scott voted in opposition.

2. Supported arming Al Quaeda / Muslim Brotherhood Revolutionaries in Syria: In June of 2013, Senator Graham called for supplying American arms to known affiliates of Al Quaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria and assistance in the form of a “no - fly zone” and bombing of Syrian airfields.

3. Supported amnesty but not border control: In June of 2013, on the issue of an immigration bill that provides effective amnesty to illegal aliens without taking action to close the border first, Senator Graham joined the Democrats in invoking cloture and supporting the bill while Senator Scott voted in opposition.

4. Supported NSA spying on private American citizens: In June of 2013, Senator Graham displayed a cavalier attitude, as he has done repeatedly, toward Americans’ right to privacy by stating “It does not bother me one bit for the National Security Administration to have my phone number...”

5. Supported abridging the First Amendment for those who criticize the government: In June of 2013 Graham displayed a similar cavalier attitude about restricting freedom of speech: "Who is a journalist is a question we need to ask ourselves," he said. "Is any blogger out there saying anything — do they deserve First Amendment protection? These
are the issues of our times

6. Supported massive new internet sales tax: In May of 2013, Graham joined Democrats in voting to pass a massive new internet sales tax with burdensome reporting requirements. Senator Scott and most Republicans opposed the bill.

7. Supported restrictions on the Second Amendment: In April of 2013, when he had the opportunity to join fellow Republicans in support of a filibuster against unconstitutional limitations on the right to keep and bear arms, Senator Graham voted to invoke closure against those Republicans opposed to the bill.

8. Supported Obama's drone program against American citizens: In March of 2013, when Republican Senator Rand Paul bravely stood up to the White House to seek reassurances that drone strikes would not be used on American soil in contravention of the Constitution, Senator Graham stated that he was “disappointed in Senator Paul and that his positions were 'not a Republican view.'”

9. Supported subordinating American sovereignty to the United Nations: In November of 2012, and in prior years, while Senator DeMint was strongly opposing the Law of the Sea Treaty, which would unconstitutionally cede American sovereignty rights to the United Nations, Senator Graham sided with Democrats and failed to support Senator DeMint.

10. Supported giving foreign aid to terrorist governments in the Middle East: In October of 2012, when Republican Senator Rand Paul began running advertisements attacking Democrats for voting to continue foreign aid to Middle - East countries who are actively anti-American, Senator Graham defended the Democrats.

11. Supported granting members of the Muslim Brotherhood high level positions in the US government: In July of 2012 when Republican Representative Michele Bachmann suggested that an aid to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton should be scrutinized due to her connections with members of the Muslim Brotherhood, Senator Graham condemned Representative Bachmann for raising the issue.

12. Supported giving taxpayer money to international organizations: In March of 2012, on the issue of providing funding for the Export - Import Bank, Senator Jim DeMint voted to uphold the principles of free enterprise and an economy free of government manipulation, while Senator Graham voted opposite Senator DeMint and in violation of those principles.

13. Supported giving taxpayer money for excessive foreign aid generally, not just to terrorist governments in the Middle East: In November of 2011, on the issue of approving a foreign aid budget that was unjustified, Senator DeMint opposed the bill but Senator Graham joined the Democrats in supporting it.

14. Opposed principled application of free trade policies: In October of 2011, on the issue of granting to the Treasury Department additional power to raise tariffs on international trade with China, Senator DeMint voted against the bill , while Senator Graham joined the Democrats and voted for it.

15. Supported restricting the First Amendment rights to criticize Islamic radicalism: In April of 2011, Senator Graham suggested that the free speech rights of Americans should be limited in what they should be able to say in regard to Islam. Senator Graham was reported to have said that Congress might need to explore the need to limit some forms of freedom of speech, in light of Tennessee pastor Terry Jones’ Quran burning, and how such actions result in enabling U.S. enemies. "I wish we could find a way to hold people accountable. Free speech is a great idea, but we're in a war," Graham told CBS' Bob Schieffer on “Face the Nation” Sunday

16. Opposed making Bush tax cuts permanent: In December of 2010, on the issue of whether to extend the Bush tax cuts in a compromise with Democrats that failed to make the tax cuts permanent, Senator DeMint voted against the bill, while Senator Graham joined the Democrats and voted for it.

17. Supported Obama's appointments to the Supreme Court: In July of 2010, on the issue of confirming Elena Kagan, a noted liberal, to the Supreme Court, Senator DeMint joined fellow Republicans to vote against that nomination, while Senator Graham joined the Democrats and only four other Republicans to vote for confirmation.

18. Sided with Democrats on government regulation to combat "climate change": In October of 2009, on the critical issue of opposition to new regulations to be imposed on the unproven theory of “global warming,” including notorious “cap and trade” proposals, Senator Graham co-authored an editorial with Democrat John Kerry endorsing such
legislation, while Senator DeMint opposed it. Graham wrote with Kerry “First, we agree that climate change is real and threatens our economy and national security. That is why we are advocating aggressive reductions in our emissions of the carbon gases that cause climate change.”

19. Criticized the South Carolina GOP for defending the Republican platform: In October of 2009, Senator Graham was publicly quoted making derogatory statements about the South Carolina Republican Party, including "We're not going to be the party of angry white guys.“ Graham vowed to continue working with Democrats in building bipartisan coalitions to address global warming, health care, Afghanistan and other key challenges, and telling Republicans who resisted his policies that "If you don't like it, you can leave."

20. Supported Obama's appointments to the Supreme Court: In August of 2009, on the issue of confirming Sandra Sotoymayor, a noted liberal, to the Supreme Court, Senator DeMint joined thirty fellow Republicans to vote against, while Senator Graham joined the Democrats and voted for confirmation.

21. Supported liberal proposal to nationalize banks: In March of 2009, Senator Graham suggested that consideration should be given to nationalizing the American banking system.

22. Supported Obama's energy taxes and Cap and Trade: In August of 2008, Senator Graham joined the so - called “Gang of Ten” working with Obama to develop new taxes on energy use and spending billions of dollars on alternative - fuel vehicles rather than respecting the ability of private industry to resolve the nation's energy problems.

24. Supported bailouts for independent mortgage institutions (Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac): In April of 2008, Senator Graham voted for the unconstitutional bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which Senator DeMint opposed.

25. Supported amnesty but not border control - and sided with Ted Kennedy over Jim DeMint: In August of 2007, in response to a Democratic effort to enact legislation granting amnesty to illegal aliens, Senator DeMint was a leader in opposition, while Senator Graham supported the bill even though it did not prevent new illegal immigration. Graham thanked Ted Kennedy for his work on the immigration bill and stated that he was “going to tell the bigots to shut up.”

26. Opposed President Bush's conservative nominee from South Carolina to the Court of Appeals: In June of 2006, Graham opposed James Haynes, a South Carolina native and conservative lawyer who President George W. Bush had nominated for the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, blocking his nomination from receiving a full vote in the Senate, because he disagreed with Haynes’ involvement in enhanced interrogation techniques for enemy combatants.

27. Praised Hillary Clinton’s prospects for higher office: In April of 2006, Graham wrote an article for Time Magazine praising Hillary Clinton, citing his own common ground with her several programs, and calling her “smart, prepared, serious,” and with an “unlimited” future.

28. Failed to fight for President Bush' s conservative judicial nominees generally: In May of 2005, Graham was one of the infamous “Gang of 14” who voted with Democrats to prevent Republicans from overriding Democrat blockage of Republican judicial nominees.

Whereas, as a result of these actions, Lindsey Graham has lost the confidence of this body in his ability to serve as Senator representing the People of South Carolina in a manner consistent with the platform of the Republican Party; and Whereas these actions by Lindsey Graham, though they be no reflection on this personal character, are deserving of resolutions of disapproval and remedial action by the local and state organizations of the South Carolina Republican Party -

THEREFORE IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED:

1. That this body condemns the actions taken above by Lindsey Graham as fundamentally inconsistent with the South Carolina Republican Party Platform;

2. That as a result of the actions taken by Lindsey Graham he has lost the confidence of this body, which resolves that he should becensured as the United States Senator for the State of South Carolina at the earliest possible opportunity;

3. That it is the right of all South Carolina Republicans to state publicly their own disapproval of these actions of Lindsey Graham as in violation of fundamental principles of the South Carolina Republican Party Platform, and to state their public disapproval and in whatever manner may seem to them to be most likely to effect a remedy;

4. That this body respectfully requests that the leadership of all Republican bodies in the State of South Carolina take such appropriate action as is necessary to ensure that properly qualified Republican candidates present themselves for nomination at the next election to the seat of Senator for South Carolina currently held by Lindsey Graham;

5. That this body directs its Secretary to relay this Resolution to all other Executive Committees for each county in the State of South Carolina, along with the request that each Executive Committee take this Resolution under consideration for adoption in substantially similar form as they themselves find appropriate;

6. That this body takes this action and adopts this Resolution in full confidence in its own good faith, with no personal animosity or ill will to the supporters of Lindsay Graham or to Lindsey Graham himself, to whom this body extends its hand in friendship and warmly looks forward to his rejoining us as private citizen of the State of South Carolina.

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